Nexomon: Extinction on Xbox One is a great alternative to the Pokémon series, because even though it doesn’t have the legacy, there’s a hell of a lot of elements it gets right – especially the gorgeous visuals.

It is easy to look back on your youth with rose-tinted glasses, but what makes it so fascinating is the fact we can’t relive the past. Commander ‘85 on Xbox One is so caught up on this that it fails to see the flaws in front of it. Whilst the idea is certainly worth exploring, Commander ‘85 itself is probably not.

Queen and Freddie Mercury’s personality may not come through in Let’s Sing Queen on Xbox One, but you probably won’t care. These are the 30 songs you would want, set against a backdrop of the videos you would want to see, with crisp presentation and faultless audio pick-up. Queen’s particular kind of magic comes through the songs, but not the game, and that’s enough.

If you can look past the rather hefty problems – i.e., the silly amount of loading screens found in the campaign – then the rest of CastleStorm II on Xbox One is absolutely fine. The humour is stupid but on point, the battle scenes are fast and frantic, and the world-building is just deep enough to let you feel like you’ve got a proper control over proceedings.

Sentinels of Freedom on Xbox One has a lot of charm and there are not a huge amount of turn-based tactical games with a superhero theme out in the market. For fans of Sentinels of the Multiverse, it’s lovely to see these beloved characters brought to life. Much like your hero in-game, there’s raw potential here - but a bit of help and some polish is needed to make Sentinels of Freedom really super.

It’s easy to recommend Rebel Galaxy Outlaw on Xbox One. As a space sim, it’s been built for console, and it manoeuvres through a minefield of controls that have junked so many others. The trading and upgrades will keep you hopping into the cockpit, over and over again, but be wary of overheating the experience: the missions aren’t hugely varied, so Outlaw should be best played in short bursts.

If you’re looking for a casual experience and an easy 1000 Gamerscore than MonsterBlast on Xbox One might be the game for you.

If you love adventure, shadow puppets, and unique gameplay then Projection: First Light on Xbox One will enchant.

As a simulator I can rate it fairly highly, despite its issues. Everything feels real and I can definitely see how it would improve someone’s ability to actually fly a drone. On the other hand, for casual gamers or people who are looking for a more game-like experience, The Drone Racing League Simulator on Xbox One isn’t going to be the answer. It all comes down to what kind of experience you want.

The old glory days of TopSpin offered some of the best tennis we’ve ever had the joy of trying. Many have attempted to emulate its success but none have succeeded. Whilst the original Tennis World Tour had some good points and focused on some nice areas, it fell flat instantly with janky controls and just a general carelessness. Its follow-up, Tennis World Tour 2, attempts to fix this, but fails in many of the same areas.

There is a small amount of fun to be had here with Tech Glitch on Xbox One, but the display and visual issue just kills the game. My Atari 2600 on a CRT came with clearer graphics, and on today’s hardware, what is provided by Tech Glitch simply isn't good enough.

Though it will not win any awards for its gameplay, this game is a real treat. It encapsulates the heart and spirit of what wonderful things can be done with an indie game. Its rougher edges and rustier bits can be frustrating, but if you want to play one of the most unique titles of the year, then you could do a whole lot worse than Bartlow’s Dread Machine on Xbox One.

If you enjoy a sudoku, here is another way to take on a puzzle or two. If you aren’t a fan though, there is nothing extra here to tempt you. There is a nice twist on it being based on the letter format rather than that of the number, but ultimately this is sudoku with an Xbox controller. Nothing more and nothing less.

If you’re after a gripping tale then Swordbreaker The Game isn’t going to be for you, so just turn around and walk away. Should you have a penchant for fantasy art and achievement hunting however, then maybe the cheap price could sway you to consider it.

WWE 2K Battlegrounds on Xbox One brings a fast-paced arcade wrestling game to the market, which features a greatly diverse roster, a decent variety of modes and moves that pack a punch. Sadly, the bulk of the gameplay takes a while to get to grips with and even then, it becomes monotonous after a short length of time. The limited access to the roster doesn’t help in that sense, nor does the utterly bland narrative.

Twin Breaker: A Sacred Symbols Adventure on Xbox One takes the rotten core of a blockbreaker game and straps on a cracking story, great music, boss battles and some new approaches. But that rotten core still stinks, and you’ll get a whiff every now and again, as the infuriation and the tedium seep through. If you’re a Sacred Symbols fan, or you’ve still got love for games like Arkanoid, it may be just enough to warrant a purchase.

For those that have missed their Harvest Moon gameplay fix over the years, or for newcomers to the series as it makes its full debut on Xbox consoles, Harvest Moon: Light of Hope Special Edition Complete is a very good place to start. It might not quite reach the lofty heights of previous entries but it contains most of what has made the series so successful over the years.

Exp Parasite is easy to pick up and play, but hard to master. It’s fun while it lasts, even if it is frustrating in parts, but unfortunately it fails to ever pull any rabbits out of the hat.

WARSAW on Xbox One is a welcome release even though there are no shortage of games set in World War II. From its strategic turn-based RPG combat, to the focus on characters within the backdrop of a war-torn Warsaw, this is a unique take on historical warfare, one that will leave you appreciating the worth of each individual life as they try to change the course of history.

I have found Mars Power Industries Deluxe to be both compelling and interesting to play. There are moments where I found things a bit too simple and the gameplay fast gets too familiar, but then the game turns itself on its head and starts to push the boundaries of what it's trying to be. There is a lot of game here for the amazingly cheap price, and I love the way it creates a strange narrative through its bare minimal, wordless, visuals.

Battlestar Galactica: Deadlock is an awesome game – at least when played on the platform it was built for. On Xbox One though, with the limited controls available, it’s still an engaging strategy game, but it really struggles with the sheer complexity that is at hand.

Injection π23 'No Name, No Number' on Xbox One is ambitious but doesn’t quite deliver everything it sets out to. However, despite some questionable graphics and an intense difficulty curve, it provides moments of genuine horror linked together by enjoyable puzzle solving.

Vampire's Fall: Origins on Xbox One is a rather deceptive game. Like the vampire itself, Vampire's Fall: Origins is dark and brutal, but it also outstays its welcome pretty quickly.

eFootball PES 2021 Season Update on Xbox One should be overlooked by those who own PES 2020 because it’s not worth the hassle of starting all over again for a selection of kits and partially updated squads. On the other hand, the gameplay and the modes combined with the updates makes it slightly more alluring to newcomers who haven’t experienced any of it. Even then it’s not a must-have and you may be best picking up PES 2020 on the cheap.

I’m of the opinion that you should score a game for the audience it’s made for, and Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia on Xbox One is a pre-teen game that delivers on what its audience wants. It’s a brisk romp through all of the best characters and locations in the game, with barely a hiccup along the way. What it sacrifices in complexity or any kind of innovation, it gains in player-friendliness and an adventure that - for the kids in this house, anyway - will make them want to hack, slash and jump all the way to the end.

Port Royale 4 on Xbox One delivers a shockingly great time. I feel that many will skip past this title because it looks niche or too complicated, but truly this is a streamlined and swashbuckling affair that provides a good time throughout. I immediately started having fun with practically no learning curve needed, as it drew me into a system of trade routes, town management, and naval combat. It’s a unique and engaging mixture that provides hours of strategy.

The Secret Order: Return to the Buried Kingdom on Xbox One acts like a strong trailer for hidden object gaming: it’s easy to pick up, the puzzles are a pleasure to interact with, and Artifex Mundi have mastered the systems that surround it. But it’s only a trailer: too short, too unsatisfying and narratively incoherent to get your teeth into.

Ultimately, Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Die on Xbox One has put me in a bit of a sticky situation. The game itself is stuffed with appealing elements, but the technical issues and high asking price currently hold it back from being a definite recommend. There is a ton for fans of the series and newcomers to enjoy, but like Larry himself, it's not for everyone.